| Among this year’s laureates arethe legendary khyal maestro Ustad Naseeruddin Saami and distinguished qawwals the Warsi Brothers; Bahrain’s Qalali Folk Band, which preserves the cultural memory of the nation’s pearl divers; Palestinian oud player and vocalist Kamilya Jubran, a trailblazer in contemporary Arabic music; and Iranian composer Sahba Aminikia, founder of the Flying Carpet Festival, which brings moments of joy to children in conflict zones.
In addition to a share of the $500,000 prize fund, Aga Khan Music Awards recipients benefit from professional development opportunities including new commissions, recording projects, management support, and assistance for educational and preservation initiatives. In keeping with the Aga Khan Music Programme’s broader mission, the Awards aim to advance pluralism, tolerance, social cohesion and global understanding through music.
Full List of Winners of the 2025 Aga Khan Music Awards
Sahba Aminikia (Iran/USA) – Composer and social innovator Sahba Aminikia is the founder and artistic director of the Flying Carpet Festival, a multi-disciplinary travelling arts festival that brings together musicians, artists and educators to create moments of joy and healing for Syrian, Turkish and Kurdish children displaced by war and conflict. Mariam Bagayoko (Mali) – Singer, dancer, and instrumentalist known as the ‘Nightingale of Bélédougou’, Mariam Bagayoko is celebrated for her powerful vocal delivery and deep knowledge of traditional repertories. Through her mentorship of women and girls, she has played a vital role in sustaining Mali’s musical and dance traditions. Senny Camara (Senegal) – A kora player, singer, and songwriter, Senny Camara offers a luminous and distinctly feminine voice within Senegal’s musical landscape. Her songs address themes of gender equality, environmental responsibility, and social justice. Kamilya Jubran (Palestine/France) – A pioneering voice in contemporary Arabic music, Kamilya Jubran draws on her Palestinian roots to explore new creative directions and adventurous cross-cultural collaborations. As artistic director of Zamkana, a non-profit organisation, she supports emerging artists and champions freedom of expression. Farah Kaddour (Lebanon) – Composer, performer, and scholar, Farah Kaddour has expanded the expressive potential of the buzuq, a long-necked fretted lute with ancient Middle Eastern origins. Her creative work is closely linked to her engagement with Action for Hope, a foundation that supports cultural development and humanitarian relief initiatives for communities displaced by war or poverty. Kyriakos Kalaitzidis (Greece) – An oud player, composer, and scholar, Kyriakos Kalaitzidis illuminates the deep connections between Islamic and Euro-Mediterranean musical traditions. As co-founder and artistic director of the ensemble En Chordais, established in1993, he has championed research and performance of music from the Levant. Hamid El Kasri (Morocco) – A singer, guembri player and maâlem (master musician) in the Gnawa tradition, Hamid El Kasri is dedicated to preserving and renewing Morocco’s musical heritage. He has also forged adventurous collaborations with international artists including Austrian pianist Joe Zawinul, Brooklyn-based jazz fusion group Snarky Puppy, and British jazz fusion musician Jacob Collier, with whom he performed at the BBC Proms. Qalali Folk Band (Bahrain) – Established over a century ago, the Qalali Folk Band is dedicated to performing and preserving Bahrain’s rich seafaring musical heritage. The ensemble is renowned for its renditions of sawt—a popular urban musical genre—and fijri, the traditional music of Bahrain’s pearl divers, which was on inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2021.
Ustad Naseeruddin Saami(Pakistan) – A torchbearer of the Delhi gharana (hereditary lineage) of Hindustani music, Ustad Naseeruddin Saami traces his artistic lineage to Amir Khusrau. Revered for his mastery of khyal—the art of melodic improvisation within the framework of raga (melody) and tala (rhythm)—he headlines a renowned qawwali group, together with his four sons, that preserves and reinterprets Khusrau’s poetic, musical, and spiritual heritage. Derya Türkan (Türkiye) – A classical kemençe player, composer, and educator, Derya Türkan has brought Turkish classical and folk music to audiences worldwide. He is known for blending Turkish traditions with jazz and European classical idioms. Türkan has also contributed to numerous film soundtracks, including for the Academy Award-winning film Argo.
Naseer and Nazeer Ahmed Khan Warsi (India) – Leading exponents of qawwali, the devotional Sufi music of South Asia, brothers Naseer and Nazeer Warsi belong to a family lineage tracing back to the Qawaal Bachhey (children of qawwali)—the singers and musicians trained by Amir Khusrau (1253-1325), the founder of qawwali. Devoted custodians of shrine service and Khusrau’s classical repertoire, they continue to bring Khusrau’s musical and spiritual legacy to audiences across India and the world. |
